Transgenic animals are organisms that have been genetically altered on purpose: genes are knocked out, knocked in or reinforced, and the effects can thus be studied in a living (or dead) whole animal. Above all, it is mice that are being used, and since the early 90s, the practice has spread like wildfire. A lot of hope is invested in the technique, through the mice scientists expect to understand diseases as well as treat them. But animal experimentation is fundamentally a dilemmatic enterprise and all research including animals has to be reviewed by an animal ethics committee.
This paper explores metaphors used when members of animal ethics committees talk about transgenic animals. Its aim is to analyze possible discursive effects from metaphors concerning a) how the transgenic animals are considered and treated; b) how members in animal ethics committees position themselves against each other. The paper analyses meanings of talk about transgenic animals as models, instruments and individuals.
A third aim of the paper is to discuss how so called extendable metaphors can be used to bring in further perspectives into the debate, how to put more focus on humans responsibilities against laboratory animals. By using Donna Haraway as a theoretical framework, the author analyzes possible meanings of talking about the transgenic mice as cyborgs and workers.